League confirms season's hot-shots

Hot-shots Liam Hardy, Liam Hearn and James Walshaw will be packing their bags for the Northern Premier League's end of season awards night after the trio were confirmed on Monday as the 2017-18 campaign's 'Golden Boot' winners.

All three will be invited to collect their accolades on stage at Blackpool's Hilton Hotel on Saturday 16 June after topping the scoring charts in the EVO-STIK League's Premier, South and North divisions respectively.

Named in the top flight's 'Team of the Year' at the Northern Premier League's 2018 Player of the Year Awards in April, former Armthorpe Welfare, Harrogate Town and Darlington striker Hardy, 27, netted 34 times for the Bucks to come out on top.

EVO-STIK League South Player of the Year and EVO-STIK NPL Show Fans' Player of the Year second runner-up Hearn, 32, banged in 39 goals to help Basford United clinch the championship and promotion after a goal-laden career that has taken in a host of clubs including Alfreton Town, Eastwood Town, Grimsby Town, Hucknall Town, Lincoln City and Mansfield Town.

Former Altrincham, Darlington, Farsley Celtic, Guiseley, Halifax Town, Leek Town and Ossett Town forward Walshaw, 34, missed out at April's awards after winning the North Division's Player of the Year last season with Farsley Celtic. After starting the season at Throstle Nest and kicking off with 20 goals in the top flight, Walshaw fired Scarborough Athletic to promotion as EVO-STIK League North runners-up with 19 more strikes to finish the campaign with a 39 goal haul.

Where next?

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Nine clubs set for stadium seminar
The Northern Premier League's official pitch partners at GreenFields are teaming up with the Frank Whittle Partnership and funding experts Sedulo to run a stadium development seminar for clubs on Thursday.